She received a message about Granny Carolina that Monday morning and she couldn't help but cry while at work. Jane then gave her a half day off so she could go to the hospital. She rushed to the hospital and, thankfully, Granny was just sleeping in one of the private rooms. She felt so relieved and the other grannies were there. Granny Carolina was awake but she was too weak to talk.
"You worried me so much, Granny. I am so glad that you are okay."
There was no response but she placed her hand on top of hers and she held it. She decided to stay there until she was the only one left. Suddenly, the door opened and a lady entered. She could tell that they were related.
"Mom. I'm here."
She vacated the seat and urged the woman to sit next to Granny. She decided to leave and the door slid open before she could touch the knob.
"Ena?" Jake surprisingly asked.
She had fantasies about destiny before. Coincidences bring people together, but she was awakened by reality a long time ago. At the time when she truly needed proof, she was given nothing, but then, at the moment when she would never ask for it, it came.
She hesitated to visit Granny the next day but just decided to go and, on her way, Jake offered her a ride. Jake promised not to do anything that she did not like. It was raining heavily and so she agreed to go with him. Jake kept his promise and she felt so happy seeing Granny with her eyes wide and talking although it was a bit slurred. They said that she should be able to be discharged after three more days. Her daughter was still there and they looked like they were able to move past their heartaches.
"Ena. Can we talk?" Jake said.
They sat on the bench outside of the hospital. The wind was already getting cooler. Summer was about to be over.
"I'm sorry for everything." Jake sincerely said.
She could not find the words to say.
"Ena, I was stupid, but I know now. It's you. It has always been you. I will make it better. Please, give me just one last chance." He pleaded.
"Jake, there is another reason that I can't be with you."
Jake just waited patiently and she looked right into his eyes.
"I think I am already falling for someone."
"Who?"
"I- I can't say."
"Are both of your feelings mutual?"
She could not respond and just looked down.
"Even if it weren't, I still want to be with him."
"You are being fooled! Ena, please!"
"You are the last person I want to hear that from! Jake, I will refuse you again and again and nothing is going to change that."
"Then will you at least give me time? Give me time until I fully accept that we are done."
"Jake-"
"A month. That is all that I ask. You don't have to do anything."
She was about to shake her head when he cut her off.
"If you both come out officially, then I will give up even if the month is not over. So please."
"You were the one who cheated on me. I don't think that we should even have a deal about anything. "
The deal was established and kept well due to Aidan's hard work. He messaged her right away about his arrival and asked her to come to the airport. What he did not tell her was that he had another plan for her.
It was a busy week for her since Granny was just discharged the previous day and she had tasks piled up that Friday. She did overtime for two hours and only had time to check her phone after. She then saw his message. She rushed outside and Jake suddenly appeared before her.
"I was waiting for you. Let's have dinner." Jake said.
"Sorry! I have to go!"
She frantically ran and Jake followed her.
"Ena! Let me take you."
"No need."
Jake then suddenly grabbed her hand.
"Who is it?"
"Jake-let me, oww! It hurts!"
Jake then let go of her hand.
"Just let me drive you there."
"I said no."
She turned away, upset, and she started to feel anxious about his sudden behavior.
She reached the airport terminal and was rushing to find him. It was like perfect timing that he stood from where he was sitting and their eyes met. She then realized again how tall he was. He was wearing black which she thought was the best color for him, and his hair was a bit tousled compared to his usual sleek hairstyle in the office. He looked like a model and some people were also looking his way.
She finally reached him and he suddenly held her hand and kissed it.
"Let's go."
"Huh? Where?"
It did not take so long for her to find out. They took a plane when he just had a long flight. There was a convertible car waiting for them. It was a late-night city drive and it was beautifully giving a certain feeling of nostalgia.
They reached the hotel and while he was taking a bath, she searched the name of the hotel on her phone and found out that they were in the second-biggest city in the country. She went to the balcony and looked at the city lights and felt the cool breeze when his arms wrapped around her from behind.
"Do you like it?" He asked.
"Let's go back inside."
"Aren't you being too aggressive tonight?"
All she meant was that he had just arrived from a ten-hour flight, took another hour to fly there, and even drove to get to their hotel. He must be tired and being exposed to the cool breeze at 2 am might cause him to catch a cold. She sighed but then she smiled and touched his face. He is flawlessly handsome, so it's hard to tell when he is tired, but then she could tell from the look in his eyes that he was exhausted.
"Let's just go to bed." She said.
He smiled like a child and she led him to bed. She gently pushed him down with her still on top of him.
"Close your eyes."
He did and she initially wanted to count to ten, but he already fell asleep when she reached five.
The alarm sounded at 7 am and they both scrambled to look for their phones. They were both still sleepy and she had her hair covering her swollen face. She could barely open her eyes and he was just scratching the back of his head. His face looked so adorable with his frowning sleepy face. Luckily, they got awakened after having breakfast. He bought her some clothes. It was a dark navy blue crewneck shirt, jeans, and completed with white sneakers. She wore it and pulled her hair up in a ponytail. He also finished dressing up and she realized that they were wearing matching outfits.
"It suits you." He happily said.
She knows it is not good to compare, but the feeling when she was in the shop with granny wearing such fashionable clothes could not even compare to the happiness she was feeling while wearing the clothes he picked for her. She realized that he really took her preference into consideration, especially when he saw her wearing crewnecks whenever they had video calls before.
"Where are we going?" she asked.
"Anywhere is fine."
"Huh?"
"Do you know why I took you to a place that is not so different from where we came from?"
She paused to think about it.
"Is it because we cannot go around our city that much?"
He smiled.
"You are always perceptive. That's right and mostly that is because you kept refusing me."
"I'm sorry."
"If you are really sorry, then make it up to me."
"Okay."
He held her hand and they went out to the city. They just walked together and stopped by at anything that piqued their interest. They went to a restaurant that had a live performance of a chamber orchestra.
The dinner was fantastic and she was in good spirits as she was walking with him along the river. She was still humming to the sound when he suddenly stopped walking alongside her. She stopped and looked inquiringly at him.
"Ena. Do you like spending time with me like this?" He suddenly asked.
She paused for a moment and nodded.
"Then I am glad. Let's just spend time like this from now on."
She did not want to think deeply about what he meant at that moment. All that matters is that they were both happy. That should be enough for her.